The Old Testament In the Light of The Historical Records and Legends Part 39

Portions of this inscription, especially towards the end, being very obscure, the translation is not so sure as could be wished. Nevertheless, it may be taken as indicating fairly well the drift of the whole, and thus answer the purpose for which it is given, namely, to show what texts of this cla.s.s generally refer to, and how excellently they reveal to us the conditions of Babylonian life at the time when they were written.

This tablet belongs to the reign of Darius Hystaspis, and is addressed to one of the most prominent men of Babylon at the time, irku, otherwise "Marduk-na?ir-ablu, son of Iddina, descendant of egibi."(138) He was an active man, and his business transactions, which begin, as far as we have record of them, in the third year of the king named, consist of the usual loans, exchanges, purchases, sales, agreements, etc., which exist in large numbers during this period. In the third year of Darius he seems to have been in Elam, perhaps upon business of state, the name of a high Babylonian official being mentioned on the tablet which records this fact.

Later on, he comes before us as a large owner and dealer in ships, some of which, of small size, he seems to have used for the construction of a bridge of boats. He owned Daan-bel-u?ur, the writer of the tablet translated above, Nanaa-bel-u?ri, his wife, and their six children, who dwelt on his property in the city of uppatum. On one occasion, as recorded on a tablet in the Louvre, they formed part of the security for a sum of 45 mana of silver, advanced by irku to arru-duri, "the king's captain, son of Idra'." Further references to both master and slave will be found farther on.

As the tablets referring to life at Babylon are exceedingly numerous, and many of them have special interesting points of their own, a few selected specimens are here translated, and may be regarded as characteristic and typical in their cla.s.s and subject.

A Loan Granted On Security At Erech.

"One mana of silver of Nabu-bani-a?i, son of Ablaa, son of the gatekeeper, unto Babia, son of Marduk-ere, and a-Nanaa-i, his wife. The door of the gatekeepers of the Salimu-gate, and his property, of (both) town and country, all there is, are the security of Nabu-bani-a?i.

"Witnesses: Bel-a?e-iddina, son of Gudadu; Nabu-zer-ukin, son of Suma; Nabu-zer-ikia, son of Ginna; and the scribe Muezib-Bel, son of Nanaa-tere. Erech, month Tisri, day 15th, year 21st, Nabu-kudurri-usur, king of Babylon."

In all probability, the possession of the door carried with it the right of receiving any toll or dues connected therewith. As Nabu-bani-ahi, the lender, belonged to the family or clan of gatekeepers, he would not be regarded altogether as an interloper. The name of one of the borrowers, Babia, "my gate," is suggestive, and shows the enthusiasm of his parents for their profession.

The Work Upon A Plantation.

"144 _qa_ (is the amount needed for) the seeding of the plantation of Nabu-um-liir, which Nabu-ar-ilani has taken for cultivation.(139) (During) 4 years, everything, whatever grows on the date-palms and in the earth, belongs to Nabu-ar-ilani; (during the succeeding 4 ?) years a third, and 4 years (after that) a fourth. Nabu-um-liir with Nabu-ar-ilani (?) ... 10 years Nabu-ar-ilani ... gardener of Nabu-um-liir ... everything, whatever (gro)ws in the earth, belongs to Nabu-ar-ilani.

"(The duty) of doing the work, digging (the irrigation-channels), raising (?) embankments (?), protecting the plantation, restoring what is wanting of the date-palms, raising water, Nabu-ar-ilani undertakes. (If) he contravene (this contract), he shall compensate (to the extent of) 1 mana of silver."

Here follow the names of three witnesses and the scribe, the date being-

"City of Suqaain, month Elul, day 26th, year 11th, Nabu-kudurri-u?ur, king of Babylon."

Sale Of An a.s.s.

"The a.s.s of arad-Meme, son of Gimillu, descendant of epe-ili, he (the owner) has sold to ubabu-sara', son of Temiaa, for half a mana six and a half shekels of silver. etillu, son of Remut, descendant of Dabibi (and) Nergal-iddina, son of Daanu-Marduk, descendant of Lugal-arazu, guarantee the serviceableness of the a.s.s. It is a branded a.s.s, upon whose front is a mark."

Here come the names of three witnesses and the scribe, followed by the date-

"City of the land of ?uma', (or ?uba'), month Tammuz, day 16th, year 40th, Nabu-kudurri-u?ur, king of Babylon."

From a tablet in the Edinburgh Museum it would seem that a.s.ses were branded to distinguish them, and that, in place of a mere mark, the name of the owner was somehow impressed. Cattle were marked with the letters of the Aramaic alphabet.

Jews And Babylonians During The Captivity.

"When Nabu-na'id, son of Nabu-gamil, brings his witness, and proves to Aa??a'u, son of aniawa, that Nabu-na'id has given the proceeds of 2- mana of silver to Aa??a'u and Baru?i-ilu, (then) the profit which has been made with them (the 2- mana) belongs to Nabu-na'id, and all right to the share which belongs to him remains-one do. (? share) (belongs to) Aa??a'u.

If the witness do not prove it, his property, as much as Nabu-na'id has taken, one do. (? share) he will return and will give to Aa??a'u.

"Witnesses: Iddina-Marduk, son of Akkia, Yaum-ma, son of a?e-u; Bala?-su, son of a?e-u, and the scribe, Nabu-a?e-iddina, son of egibi.

Upe (Opis), month Tammuz, day 21st, year 40th, Nabu-kudurri-u?ur, king of Babylon."

Apparently it was a dispute about profits, which was to be settled, as was usual in such cases, by producing a witness. aniawa is one of those names ending in _iawa_ which were certainly not Babylonian, and which are generally regarded as Israelite, like ubunu-yawa = Shebaniah; Nathanu-yawa = Nathaniah, and many others; and its later form would probably be Shaniah. Baru?i-ilu is probably for Baruchiel, and, if so, would show that the p.r.o.nunciation of the aspirated _k (ch)_ as _? (kh)_, common among Jews on the Continent and in the East, is of very ancient date.

The Dead Slave.

"On the 5th day of the month Kisleu, arru-kinu, son of Ammanu, will bring his witness to the city Piqudu (Pekod), and he will testify to Idi?i-ili, son of Dina, that Idi?i-ili sent to arru-kinu thus: 'Do not litigate against me concerning thy slave who was killed-I will make up to thee the life of thy slave.' If he prove it, Idi?i-ili shall pay to arru-kinu 1 mana of silver, the price of his slave. If he do not prove it (he is free)."

After the names of three witnesses and the scribe, is the date-

"Upe, month Marcheswan, day 7th, year 40th, Nabu-kudurri-u?ur, king of Babylon."

A Right Of Way.

"Marduk-iriba, son of Remut, descendant of the Mi?irite,(140) and Kalba, son of Bala?u, descendant of the chief of the construction (?), in their going forth, shall go forth over the brook; they have no power over the exit of the wall of the house of Nabu-a?e-iddina, son of ula, descendant of egibi; the exit of the wall of the house of Nabu-a?e-iddina belongs to Nabu-a?e-iddina."

Here come the names of five witnesses, including the scribe, and then the date-

"Babylon, month of the later Adar, day 24th, year 1st, Nabu-na'id,(141) king of Babylon."

The Story Of Abil-Addu-Nathanu And Bunanitum.

This is contained, as far as it is preserved, on a series of five tablets, four of which are in the British Museum, and the fifth in the Museum of Art at New York. Abil-Addu-nathanu would seem, from his name, which would be the West-Semitic Ben-Hadad-nathan, to have come from Damascus, and settled at Babylon, and afterwards at Borsippa. His wife Bunanitum (or Bunanith) was to all appearance a Babylonian.

The Purchase Of The House At Borsippa.

"7 canes, 5 cubits, 18 fingers, a built house, the territory of a plantation(142) which is within Borsippa, which Daan-um-iddina, son of Zeria, descendant of Nabaa, has bought from Iba, son of Zilla, descendant of the carpenter, for 11- mana of silver, for the price complete, by the authority of Abil-Addu-nathanu, son of Addia, and Bunanitu, his wife, daughter of ?ari?aa. That house he has received, the silver of Abil-Addu-nathanu and Bunanitu as the price of the house has been given.

Daan-um-iddina has no share in the house or the silver. The tablet which Daan-um-iddina has sealed in his name, he has given to Abil-Addu-nathanu and Bunanitu. The day a copy of the sealed doc.u.ment of the purchase or any contract for that house appears in the house of Daan-um-iddina or in any other place, it belongs to Abil-Addu-nathanu and Bunanitu."

Here follow the names of four witnesses and two scribes. The date is-

"Babylon, month Shebat, day 24th, year 2nd, Nabu-na'id, king of Babylon."

The agent through whom the purchase was made has to declare that no part of the property or the money belonged to him, hence the final clause of the contract, which was intended to prevent trouble at any future time.